Tag: chablis

It’s been two years since we last tasted wines from around the world at the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  During COVID grapevines produced grapes and wine was made but may have been a little harder than normal to get workers in the vineyard and in the winery.  Below are my Old World wine selections.  Most of the vintages are 2020…

Here is an appetizer that you may want to consider for Valentine’s Day, made using Hooray “Bacon”, which is a plant-based alternative to bacon.  The entire recipe below that I received from Hooray Foods is plant-based.  And as I am “MyWinePal”, I’ve also given you ideas for two wines, one white and one red, to pair with this appetizer after…

The holiday season is upon us and we start to think about enjoying time with family and friends.  Assuming we can do this safely over our second COVID season, what kinds of foods do you like to serve?  I prefer rich foods, like lobster.  No dieting allowed.  You can of course boil a lobster, or cook it in dish with…

Do you love Chablis but not like Chardonnay?  Did you know that Chablis is made from Chardonnay?  Chardonnay is a very versatile grape, with both unoaked and oaked versions.  One reason that some people adore Chablis is the acidity and minerality from these wines, which in part comes from the climate and the other coming from the special limestone soils…

There is such a range of wines in France as you travel North to South and East to West, with so many different climates and soils.  The vintages can be different for major regions across France.  Luckily I was contacted by the Vignobles & Signatures Club whose members span France’s major appellations to tell me about the 2020 harvest, which…

With France being the theme country for the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020, there were many more French wineries in attendance than in other years.  And with that many more wines to taste. Which made me very happy.  France has a great variety of red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines, from the range of noble grape varieties.  I spent several…

Andrew Jefford is an English journalist, radio presenter, poet, magazine editor, a wine writer for Decanter magazine and much more. He lives near Montpellier in France. Why am I telling you this?  Andrew lead our French Terroir Talk during this seminar at the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  If there was anyone with the background knowledge of wine and experience of…

Let’s welcome Maison Joseph Drouhin from Burgundy to the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  Read about this winery’s long history and the wines that they will be pouring for us, in their own words. About Maison Joseph Drouhin With close to 90 different appellations, Maison Joseph Drouhin offers a fascinating array of Burgundy terroirs in all their authenticity and subtle variations….

I tasted through many years this year through Trade tastings with agents and BC VQA wineries, the Vancouver International Wine Festival, visits to wineries, and personal purchases.  I rate all the wines I taste from 1 to 5 stars.  Fortunately, the quality of many wines is quite good, giving them at least a 3 out of 5-star rating.  At the…

Top Drop is the last major wine tasting in Vancouver before the start of summer. Top Drop is meant to represent the best in terroir and winemaker craft. Nature and Nurture.  Wineries from around the world are selected for the best of both, and we were not disappointed.  In my 5 star wine rating, most wines were at least 4…